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Chinese investiture envoys (view source)
Revision as of 01:47, 16 January 2010
, 01:47, 16 January 2010some expansion
The Chinese envoys arrived in ships called ''ukwanshin'' (御冠船, lit. "Crown Ships") in [[Okinawan language|Okinawan]]. The mission would usually consist of two official envoy ships, separate crafts carrying the chief envoy and his deputy, as some uncertainty accompanied the journey<ref name=kerr181>Kerr. p181.</ref>; these would be accompanied by a number of merchant ships. During Japan's [[Edo period]], an agent from Satsuma known as a ''kansen bugyô'' (冠船奉行, "Investiture (Crown) Ships Magistrate") would be sent down to Ryûkyû to supervise the exchanges and interactions between Chinese and Ryukyuan officials, albeit from somewhat of a distance, given the policy of hiding Satsuma's involvement in Ryûkyû from the Chinese<ref>Matsuda, Mitsugu. ''The Government of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, 1609-1872''. Gushikawa: Yui Publishing, Co., 2001. pp46-47.</ref>.
The Chinese envoys arrived in ships called ''ukwanshin'' (御冠船, lit. "Crown Ships") in [[Okinawan language|Okinawan]]. The mission would usually consist of two official envoy ships, separate crafts carrying the chief envoy and his deputy, as some uncertainty accompanied the journey<ref name=kerr181>Kerr. p181.</ref>; these would be accompanied by a number of merchant ships. During Japan's [[Edo period]], an agent from Satsuma known as a ''kansen bugyô'' (冠船奉行, "Investiture (Crown) Ships Magistrate") would be sent down to Ryûkyû to supervise the exchanges and interactions between Chinese and Ryukyuan officials, albeit from somewhat of a distance, given the policy of hiding Satsuma's involvement in Ryûkyû from the Chinese<ref>Matsuda, Mitsugu. ''The Government of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, 1609-1872''. Gushikawa: Yui Publishing, Co., 2001. pp46-47.</ref>.
Arriving in Shuri, the envoys generally stayed for four to eight months<ref name=shimpo/>, and were extensively entertained by the Ryukyuan royal court. A number of structures built for this purpose, including the [[Ryutan|Ryûtan]] pond and the Hokuden (North Hall) of [[Shuri Castle]], can still be seen today on the castle grounds. The total Chinese entourage generally numbered between 300 and 800 people, and hosting and entertaining the Chinese envoys was an extremely expensive endeavor for the Ryukyuan court<ref name=kerr181/>.
Arriving in Shuri, the envoys generally stayed for four to eight months<ref name=shimpo/>, and were extensively entertained by the Ryukyuan royal court. A number of structures built for this purpose (and reconstructed/restored in the late 20th century), including the [[Ryutan|Ryûtan]] pond and the Hokuden (North Hall) of [[Shuri Castle]], can still be seen today on the castle grounds. The total Chinese entourage generally numbered between 300 and 800 people, and hosting and entertaining the Chinese envoys was an extremely expensive endeavor for the Ryukyuan court<ref name=kerr181/>. The envoys were treated to seven formal banquets during their stay; in addition, they were visited by senior officials and ministers once every five days, who brought the emissaries considerable amounts of food<ref name=chen/>.
A "Minister of Dance" ([[Okinawan language|O]]: ''udui bugyô'') oversaw these entertainments; ''[[kumi odori]]'', a traditional form of Ryukyuan dance-drama, was first created and performed for entertaining an investiture envoy and his fellows, in 1719<ref name=kumi>Foley, Kathy. "Kumi Odori's Historical Context and Performance Practice." in ''Ryukyu Geino: The Legacy of Kin Ryosho''. Jimpu Kai USA Kin Ryosho Ryukyu Geino Kenkyusho Hawaii Shibu, 2008. pp45-56.</ref>.
A "Minister of Dance" ([[Okinawan language|O]]: ''udui bugyô'') oversaw these entertainments; ''[[kumi odori]]'', a traditional form of Ryukyuan dance-drama, was first created and performed for entertaining an investiture envoy and his fellows, in 1719<ref name=kumi>Foley, Kathy. "Kumi Odori's Historical Context and Performance Practice." in ''Ryukyu Geino: The Legacy of Kin Ryosho''. Jimpu Kai USA Kin Ryosho Ryukyu Geino Kenkyusho Hawaii Shibu, 2008. pp45-56.</ref>.
During their stay in Ryûkyû, the Chinese emissaries performed two rituals: not only the investiture ritual (C: ''ts'e feng''), but also a ritual recognizing the death of the former king as an "Imperial sacrifice" (C: ''yü-chi hsien-wang'')<ref name=chen/>.
===The Investiture Ceremony===
The investiture ceremony itself was performed in the central courtyard (O: ''una-'') of Shuri Castle, where a structure was erected to represent the Chinese Imperial Court. At dawn on the day of the ceremony, the Imperial patent<ref>For a brief overview of Chinese Imperial patents, see [http://www.npm.gov.tw/exh96/treasure/02_en.html this page] at the official website of the National Palace Museum, Beijing.</ref>, Imperial edict of investiture, and Imperial gifts to the king and queen were placed in small portable pavilions. A group of Ryukyuan officials involved with the ceremony met the Chinese envoys and kowtowed to the patent, edict, and Imperial gifts, and then led the envoys and these Imperial objects in procession to the ''una-'', a distance of about three miles (ten ''[[ri]]'') from the Envoys' Residence, passing huge crowds of people who had turned out on the sides of the road to see the procession<ref name=chen/>.
The procession met the king and his top advisors at the [[Shureimon]], the symbolic entrance to the castle grounds. The king, and all the officials of the royal government, arranged by rank, kowtowed to the objects held in the portable pavilions, an act symbolic of receiving the Chinese Emperor himself. The king then led the procession into the castle and to the ''una-'', where the objects were placed upon a table and flanked by the envoys, atop the raised platform, the king remaining below, at ground level<ref name=chen/>.
After another kowtow and some music played by the Ryukyuan royal ensemble, the king knelt as the investiture edict was read. He then performed another kowtow, and the title of "king" (C: ''guo-wang''; J: ''kokuô'') was formally granted to him. Further kowtows accompanied the presentation of the Imperial gifts and of the Imperial patent and edict. Though Chinese custom dictated that the edict and patent be returned to the envoys afterward, Ryûkyû always requested to keep the objects as national heirlooms. The envoys' request to have them returned, Ryukyuan request to keep them, and granting of permission quickly became part of the investiture ritual. Before granting permission, the envoys also requested that the patents and edicts from previous investitures be shown to them<ref name=chen/>.
The investiture ceremony concluded with the envoys being led by the king on a tour of the castle, and by a mutual kowtow of farewell. Throughout, the king was swathed in formal Chinese costume, a [[dragon robe]] gifted him by the Imperial Court; originally, Ryukyuan kings were given robes of a lower rank, but later would be granted robes indicative of a rank equivalent to Imperial Prince. When the Ming dynasty fell and was replaced by the Manchu Qing dynasty, the Ryukyuans were permitted to maintain Ming costume. By the 19th century, this style, not seen in China for over a century and a half, became a considerable focus of curiosity and attention from the Chinese envoys<ref name=chen/>.
Following the investiture, an emissary would journey to the Chinese capital, to formally express gratitude (C: ''hsieh-en'')<ref name=chen/>.
Following the investiture, an emissary would journey to the Chinese capital, to formally express gratitude (C: ''hsieh-en'')<ref name=chen/>.
* 1719/9/9 - ''Kumi odori'', a new form of dance-drama, created by [[Tamagusuku Chokun|Tamagusuku Chôkun]] for the entertainment of the Chinese envoys, is first performed for the envoys for the investiture of King [[Sho Kei|Shô Kei]]<ref name=kumi/>.
* 1719/9/9 - ''Kumi odori'', a new form of dance-drama, created by [[Tamagusuku Chokun|Tamagusuku Chôkun]] for the entertainment of the Chinese envoys, is first performed for the envoys for the investiture of King [[Sho Kei|Shô Kei]]<ref name=kumi/>.
**1719 - A dispute breaks out between the Chinese party, led by [[Hai Pao]] and [[Hsu Pao-kuang|Hsü Pao-kuang]], and the Ryukyuan officials, led by [[Sai On]] and [[Tei Junsoku]]. The kingdom had gathered only 500 ''kan'' of silver to purchase goods brought from China for trade, but the mission unexpectedly brought 2,000 ''kan'' worth of goods. In the end, Sai On negotiated a settlement, paying 600 ''kan'' for all of the goods.
* 1757 - [[Quan Kui]] and [[Chou Huang]] (d. 1785) lead the mission for the investiture of King [[Sho Boku|Shô Boku]], as Senior Envoy and Deputy Envoy respectively. During his time in Shuri, Chou Huang compiles the ''[[Ryukyu-koku shiryaku|Ryûkyû-koku shiryaku]]'', an account of Ryukyuan history and customs based on the records and reports of earlier Chinese envoys, Ryukyuan records, and Chou's own observations<ref>Hirata, Tsugumasa (trans.). Chou, Huang. ''Ryûkyû-koku shiryaku''. Tokyo: San-ichi Shobô, 1977. pp1-2.</ref>.
* 1757 - [[Quan Kui]] and [[Chou Huang]] (d. 1785) lead the mission for the investiture of King [[Sho Boku|Shô Boku]], as Senior Envoy and Deputy Envoy respectively. During his time in Shuri, Chou Huang compiles the ''[[Ryukyu-koku shiryaku|Ryûkyû-koku shiryaku]]'', an account of Ryukyuan history and customs based on the records and reports of earlier Chinese envoys, Ryukyuan records, and Chou's own observations<ref>Hirata, Tsugumasa (trans.). Chou, Huang. ''Ryûkyû-koku shiryaku''. Tokyo: San-ichi Shobô, 1977. pp1-2.</ref>.